CHAPTER XXXI 



Control of Ticks ^ 

 F. C. Bishopp 



Methods of destroying ticks may be divided into two general heads — 

 starvation and destruction with insecticides. The former is much more 

 limited in its practical application owing to the long life of mnny species 

 of ticks and the fact that many of them are capable of developing on a 

 number of different hosts. Furthermore, destruction with chemical agents 

 appeals to most stockmen owing to the fact that they can actually see 

 the destruction of individuals. 



Knowing the ill effects produced by tick infestation, both through 

 blood loss and the irritation due to gross infestations and by disease trans- 

 mission, one would think there would be little difficulty in inducing people 

 to proceed with control or eradication measures. However, this is not 

 the case. In practically all parts of the world it has been found that 

 stockmen will attempt to destroy ticks when they become grossly abundant 

 but their efforts relax when the numbers are reduced to a considerable 

 extent. In this connection it might be well to mention some of the benefits 

 which are derived from tick control or eradication. By keeping the 

 number of ticks reduced to a minimum, the growth of animals and the milk 

 flow in cattle are increased. Death loss through gross infestation is 

 avoided and, by accomplishing eradication, several of the most dangerous 

 diseases of live stock and some of those of man would disappear. This 

 would permit of more rapid agricultural development of many regions 

 of the world. 



By following either the method of repression or eradication, the bring- 

 ing under control of the herds of live stock is an important consideration. 

 This is greatly facilitated b}^ fencing and clearing of brush lands. Clear- 

 ing also has a direct influence on the abundance of ticks, as the worst 

 infestations in the case of many species are to be foimd in lands more or 

 less covered with woods and brush. 



It is important in many instances to maintain effective quarantines 



to prevent the uncontrolled movement of stock and the consequent spread 



of the ticks which transmit disease. The effectiveness of this procedure 



has been fully demonstrated by the result of the quarantine maintained on 



^ This lecture was prepared especially for this edition. 



440 



